Wavewalk S4 first sea trial on windy day, with 5 HP outboard motor, Key Largo. Video and review

By Captain Larry Jarboe

Florida Fishing Kayaks

Some thoughts about the Wavewalk S4

 

Beautiful lines!  It may be the Cadillac of kayaks but it looks like a seagoing Corvette.  Is it a high performance motor yak or a portable runabout?
Super stable.  Because it looks so seaworthy, most other powerboats do not slow up when passing port to port.  No problem.  The S4 slides through wakes easily without leaving planing mode.
It seems to run a little faster than the W700 with the same motor.  I believe the wider hulls act like a pair of skis to help the boat skim across the water.  Handling tiller, camera, and a GPS at one time is beyond my skill set.
Tracking through turns while planing is wonderful.  The boat’s stern does not slide like many skiffs do.
The S4 is so easy to spin your body to face the outboard motor because the hulls are so wide.  You can keep your feet inside the vessel.
Also, the S4 is the perfect vessel for folks who are tired of maintaining their leaky inflatable tenders.  Or, people who want a lifeboat that can be used for shade or transport, too.
I still think the W700 is the boat that does it all, but the S4 is the boat that does it all, and more!

The video shows 15-20 knot wind close chop.  No problem.  Try paddling against this.

Larry J.

 

P.S. – This boat could make a run from South Florida to Bimini.  But, for the time being, I will be staying in waters managed by our Country.

 

 

 

Wavewalk S4 in gray with 5 HP Nissan (Tohatsu) outboard motor. Photo shot on the mother ship.

Larry also offers guided fishing and diving trips in the Key Largo and the areas that surround it »

 

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

Welcoming the new S4 while appreciating the Wavewalk 700

By Captain Larry Jarboe

Florida Fishing Kayaks

Of course, there is a lot of excitement about the delivery schedule of the new Wavewalk S4 motor yaks. But, the W700 design still has a very important place in my personal life and growing business.

My W700’s are perfect for my guide and rental service. Here, I want people to focus on enjoying nature and catching fish in the Florida Keys. Often, motors can be cantankerous and disrupt an otherwise fine day of fun in a clean marine environment. Paddles are virtually maintenance free and totally pollution free. I include both the double kayak paddle and a canoe paddle with my W700 guided trips as both styles work very well. This allows my customers to choose their personal preference of non-polluting propulsion.
This week, Rafael and Eddie joined me for two consecutive days of fishing in the mangroves and open water. Whether, they fished atop the W700’s or in the shadow from overhead, these guys put fish after fish into the storage bags and big cooler. They caught about 10 different species of fish and over 100 fish each day. Many of the fish were filleted and donated to my neighbors who, believe it or not, cannot afford to buy fresh fish at the seafood market.
I have ground up the fish carcasses through my commercial chum grinder and have enough frozen chum blocks to feed the fish for more trips with the fleet of W700 fishing kayaks.
Or, should they be called “Catching Kayaks”?

 

 

Larry also offers guided fishing and diving trips in the Key Largo and the areas that surround it »

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

 

Testing the Wavewalk S4

Wow!…

This boat is unbelievable.
It delivers everything that we planned (and said) it would, plus a little extra in the fact that it’s really nice to paddle. The slanted sides of the cockpit in combination with the higher saddle makes it easy to move the paddle, both in the seated and standing positions. This “kayak” moves even with a 6 HP Tohatsu outboard motor that weighs 60 lbs mounted on it.

 

 

It’s pretty much an idiot-proof boat.
The guy demonstrating it in this video is me (56 y/o, 6 ft, 214 lbs), and I can stand in one hull, paddle in this position, and even turn around and face the opposite direction without stepping out of the hull.

The stand-up casting platform feels good to stand on, but since the boat is so lightweight, we recommend using this platform with another passenger sitting in the back of the cockpit, driving or paddling.
Launching and beaching this craft is incredibly easy, thanks to its shallow draft.

The S4 does more than bridging the gap between kayaks and small boats – It surpasses most small boats in terms of performance. Try jumping in a Jon boat, or driving it standing up, and you’ll understand this concept through swimming.

Yoav